The present invention relates to a container specifically designed to entirely dispense all the liquid contents housed therein especially when such liquids are of a viscous, slow-flow type. More specifically, the container is constructed to present alternate surfaces upon which it may be supported, at least one of which supports the container in a dispensing position. Also, although the invention will be hereinafter described in relationship to such viscous, slow-flow liquids, it should be brought out that it has equal applicability for other liquids when it is desired to completely empty the container contents albeit more quickly with normal liquids.
Heretofore, containers containing a small amount of liquid, especially of a viscous, slow-flow type such as hair shampoo or hand cream, presented difficulty for the user to completely empty the contents. To overcome this problem, the use either discarded the container with the remaining product left therein thus causing undesirable waste or repeatedly shook or pounded the container on a supported surface to force the product to more quickly drain towards the dispensing opening. Such latter approach results in unintended damage or at least user frustration; and, accordingly, some users have resorted to propping the container in an inverted position and patiently wait for the contents to settle at the closed dispensing end thereof. Towards this latter approach, it would be useful if a container of this general type could be designed and constructed such that inverted or at least alternate use positioning could be accomplished in a convenient and safe manner.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing container with an alternate supporting surface such that the viscous liquids contained therein may flow by gravity to an inverted position dispensing opening and thus eliminate the need for such containers to be artificially propped up in such an inverted position or other mechanisms fabricated to dispense the remaining contents therefrom.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a container that enables such to be positioned in an alternate position to assure complete liquid dispensing of viscous products yet accomplishes such in an economical and easily produced commercial-type container. These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by a dispensing container for assuring complete drainage of liquids especially slow flow liquids contained therein, said container having a bottom wall for normally supporting said container in a first non-dispensing upright position, side walls extending upwardly therefrom and a connecting top wall, a dispensing opening and closure disposed in said top wall proximal one side thereof, said top wall sloping downwardly from said one side proximal to said dispensing opening to the top wall side opposite said one side, and an upper support spaced above said top wall and having an upper generally flat supporting surface generally parallel to said bottom wall such that liquid gravity drains from said top wall to said opening when said container is supported in an inverted alternate dispensing position by said upper supporting surface.
Previous attempts to solve this and similar dispensing problems have resulted in the presentation of such constructions as shown in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: No. 2,831,610 to Dennie issued Apr. 22, 1958; No. 3,151,785 to Scarpa issued Oct. 6, 1964; No. 3,329,317 to Greenquist issued July 4, 1967; No. 3,407,971 to Oehler issued Oct. 29, 1968; No. 4,003,503 to Aldridge issued Jan. 18, 1977; No. 4,722,463 to Anderson issued Feb. 2, 1988; and No. 4,723,671 to Mears issued Feb. 9, 1988. Of particular interest also is a discussion of related prior art in Column 1 of the Mears patent which itself discloses a separable bottle cap stand supported by the lid closure means of a dispensing container. While of interest, these structures fail to accomplish the overall objects of the present invention in a simple and inexpensive manner.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.